We developed multi-scale habitat suitability models for black-tailed prairie dogs (BTPD) in the southwestern Great Plains, corresponding to the western region of the Great Plains LCC. We used long-term (10-yr), high-resolution datasets on BTPD colony boundary locations collected at 7 study areas distributed across the region to develop resource selection functions based on colony locations and expansion patterns. Models are based on (1) soil maps and associated Ecological Sites (NRCS SSURGO database), (2) a topographic wetness index based upon water runoff and solar insolation patterns (TWIsi) that tests a priori hypotheses for topographic controls on BTPD, and (3) broad climatic gradients in temperature and mean...